


Ways to Say I Love You

by prescellphone



Category: The Man From U.N.C.L.E. (2015)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-10
Updated: 2015-10-10
Packaged: 2018-04-25 16:55:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,106
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4968883
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/prescellphone/pseuds/prescellphone
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>4 times when Illya didn't say it and the one time he did</p><p>Music: I And Love And You by the Avett Brothers and Toothpaste Kisses by the Maccabees</p>
            </blockquote>





	Ways to Say I Love You

**Author's Note:**

> This was written in the dead of night when I couldn't sleep and of course the moment I started writing, I nearly passed out on my keyboard.

* * *

 1.

       “Missed me?”

       Gaby didn’t have time to respond before she was pulled onto a lap. Her back slammed into an arm holding onto the handlebars of a motorcycle. The men who had been surrounding Gaby lunged for her legs, but the bike sped away, flinging mud up into their faces. Gaby’s hands gripped the arm reaching across her chest, leaving blood stains on the silky suit.

       “Napoleon, what the hell are you doing here?!”

       Gaby yelled over the sound of the engine and the roar of the wind in her ears. Smirking, Napoleon shifted underneath her.

       “Waverly sent us. You looked like you needed some help-”

        His voice cut off when a bullet flew over his head. Readjusting herself so she sat chest to chest against Napoleon, Gaby pulled the gun out from its spot in Napoleon’s waistband and pointed it over his shoulder. Two cars pursued them, men hanging out of the windows with their guns aimed on them. Gaby shot off a few rounds before Napoleon shouted.

       “Hold on!”

        Gaby barely had her arms around his waist when he took a sharp turn, the back tire bouncing off a brick wall before they sped down a narrow street. The cars stopped abruptly at the opening to the road, too wide to fit through. They were out of view quickly and Gaby relaxed her arms. She leaned close to Napoleon’s ear so he could hear her.

        “You said _us_. Where’s Illya?”

         Right when she spoke the words, another bike turned sharply into the cobbled road.

        “Peril!”

         Napoleon shouted as Illya rode closely next to them. Gaby sighed easily when Illya nodded at her.

         Eventually, both bikes slowed as they approached a small house on the outskirts of the city. Gaby was pressed to Napoleon, trying to stay warm against the brisk wind when they stopped in the driveway. Peeling herself from him, she stood up, her legs wobbly. Illya was there in a second; his hands placing his jacket over her shoulders. Gaby thanked him quietly as they made their way into the warm house.

         With a kettle placed on the stove and blankets draped over shoulders, the trio stood in the kitchen together. It had been three months since Gaby had seen them last. She felt a twinge of jealously thinking about the mission they got together while she was placed somewhere on her own.

        “How did you know where I was?”

         Gaby’s hands were wrapped around a mug of tea, her legs hanging over the edge of the counter she sat on.  

         Napoleon raised his mug to point at Illya.

         Illya sipped his drink, “Tracker.”

         Gaby leaned back in shock, “You bugged me?”

         He shook his head, “No. You kept your ring.”

         Napoleon smirked before filling his cup again. Gaby shifted her hand, the ring clicking lightly against the mug.

         “I guess I forgot to take it off.”  

         “Good thing.”

         “No need to worry, _Peril_. I can take care of myself.”

          Gaby mocked Napoleon’s nickname for him with a small smirk. Napoleon watched Illya’s eyes soften.

         “I know. I like my women strong anyway.”

          Napoleon knew the true meaning behind the words, but Gaby simply scoffed before leaping off the counter and punching Illya’s shoulder lightly. If only she knew what he truly meant.

 

* * *

2. 

 

          Napoleon’s hands worked quickly across Gaby’s chest. His mouth meeting hers and blowing air into her lungs, hoping she would choke up the water filling them. Illya’s eyes were wild and his hands twitched uncontrollably as they held her head back, keeping her throat open.

         “Napoleon.”

          His voice was urgent and shook with fear. Gaby had yet to take a breath since they pulled her from the river.

         “I’m working on it, Peril.”

          Napoleon blew more air and came back up, his ear to her mouth, hoping to feel her breath. Nothing.

         “God damn it. Breathe Gaby.”

          His hands made a sharp pump against her chest and Gaby finally woke, choking up water. She rolled to her side, her eyes shut tight as the water flooded up from her lungs.

          Napoleon leaned back on his heels with a large breath, his hands shaking slightly on his thighs. Illya held the hair out of Gaby’s face as she heaved, him and Napoleon sharing a look of relief.

         When Gaby finally cleaned out all the water and her heaving was bringing up nothing, her body grew weak and she slumped against the ground. Illya pulled her away, placing her across his lap. Gaby grinned weakly at Napoleon, her hand reaching out and clasping his strongly.

        “Thank you.”

         Her voice cracked and burned at her throat. Napoleon gave her an unsteady grin before she turned to look at Illya. She was almost too tired to notice the utter panic in his eyes. Almost.

         His hands cradled her against him tenderly.

        “You’re never leaving my side again.”

         Gaby nodded weakly; not missing how his words tremored with something more than fondness.

 

* * *

3.

 

       Gaby’s thighs stuck together in the heat. From her spot on the couch, she watched Napoleon open the window farther, hoping to get a larger breeze to blow through. She could see the sweat shining through his white shirt, and her mind immediately shot back to the night before when her hands had felt the sweat on Illya’s back. She closed her eyes, leaning her head back against the couch.

       Gaby thought of how his neck tasted salty in her mouth and how agonizingly hot it was when they were so close to each other. Neither of them could sleep due to the heat and they weren’t ones to waste time lying around. Gaby had thought the temperature during the day was unbearable. That was until Illya was on top of her, his sturdy body radiating heat into her. The difference was that she continually craved the warmth from him and despised the irritable weather.

       Gaby opened her eyes to watch Napoleon sit across from her, his hands pouring a glass of scotch.

       “It’s too hot.” Gaby whined as she shifted. The back of her knees were slick against the couch.

       “You’ve said that already.”

       Narrowing her eyes at him, Gaby let her head fall back dramatically, “It’s too hot!”

       Napoleon had opened his mouth to respond when the hotel door opened. Illya stepped through, his lip split and bloody and a large lump above his eyebrow forming. His hands holding the groceries he had gone out for. He looked pleased with himself.

       With eyebrows raised, Napoleon questioned, “What the hell happened to you?”

       “Nothing.”

       Gaby stood up and followed him into the small kitchen. He began to unpack the bag as she crossed her arms.

       “Who did you beat up? And are they alive?”

        Illya gave her an innocent look, “Just some teenagers. They’re fine.”

        Gaby choked, “Teenagers? Illya!”

        He handed her the tub of ice cream she had asked for, “They started it.”

        Rolling her eyes, Gaby placed the ice cream in the freezer before grabbing his hand and leading him into the bathroom. Napoleon didn’t move from his spot on the couch, a damp cloth placed across his face.

        Gaby wetted a washcloth before taking a seat on the counter, getting her eye level with Illya. He stood between her knees as she dabbed at his bloody lip.

        “If they were only teenagers then why are you injured?”

         Illya’s eyes were a paler blue in the sunlight. She paused from wiping the blood away to let him speak.

        “They had a bat and there were seven of them.”

         Gaby shook her head and rinsed the washcloth before turning back to him. The excess water slid down his throat and Gaby breathed out slowly, her back hot in the sunlight.

When the blood was cleared, Gaby dropped her hands into her lap.

        “It seems like I’m always having to take care of you boys.”

         Illya smiled and pressed a kind kiss to her mouth. Gaby could taste the metallic blood on her lips after he pulled away. His voice was peaceful.

        “Thank you.”

         Gaby felt her pulse pick up. She knew wholeheartedly what he was truly saying this time, and she had to stop herself from replying back.

 

* * *

  4.

 

       The night was quiet except for the soft hum of voices outside Gaby’s window. After finishing a long mission earlier in the day, she had gone back to her room, showered, and fallen onto her bed. She was stretched out on the mattress, lost in thought for hours, and was just now feeling the pull of sleep on her eyes.

       Gaby listened as a car drove by her window and a rather loud laugh stood out in comparison to the rest. She felt her limbs grow heavy as the sounds faded to the background of her mind.

       She hadn’t realized she had fallen asleep until the phone rang on the table next to her bed. Moving from underneath her covers, her hand grabbed the phone and pulled it under the sheets to rest against the side of her head.

       Gaby breathed out, “Hello?”

       “Gabriella.”

       Her mind woke slightly as her body relaxed more into the bed, “Illya.”

       “Sorry, it’s late.”

       His voice was rough, the way it got late into the night when his walls came down. Gaby could imagine him lying in bed, wide awake and wondering if she was awake as well. Normally she was.

       “It’s okay. I had a long day.”

       “Tell me.”

       Smiling meekly, Gaby began with the boy who asked her out at the front desk that morning. How she had shot a man through the head that afternoon. How too big her bed was when she crawled into it that night.

       Illya grunted in response, letting her chat idly for a few minutes before she yawned into the phone.

       “You should go back to sleep.”

       Gaby shut her eyes, “Not if you don’t.”

       She heard him sigh, “I will.”

       Gaby felt sleep begin to take her again, “Why did you call?”

       “I just wanted to hear your voice.”

       With her eyes oh so heavy, Gaby understood perfectly, “I know.”

 

* * *

 5.

 

        Gaby woke silently. She rolled over to the empty side of the bed, a frown on her face. She untangled herself from the sheets and grabbed a large button up shirt from the floor. Pulling the shirt on, Gaby rolled up the sleeves and threw her hair into a loose ponytail. Hearing the tap water run, she padded over to the bathroom in her bare feet.

         Illya met her eyes in the mirror when she appeared, a toothbrush hanging out of his mouth. He had to admit, she looked more beautiful in nothing but his shirt than any expensive dress. She reached up on her toes, her lips pecking his cheek.

        “Good morning, Kuryakin.”

         She smiled and grabbed her toothbrush. He held up the tube of toothpaste and spread it across her brush carefully. He spit before replying.

         “Morning, Teller.”

         They grinned together before brushing their teeth wordlessly, elbows bumping each other. Illya finished before her and stood back up from rinsing as she shifted on her feet, turning her back to him to look out the window in the bedroom.

         It was early on a Tuesday in May. Birds were chirping and the sun coming through the window was warming the chilly night. The sunlight was almost crisp during spring and it accented the dark red streaks in Gaby’s hair. Even though winter had just ended, her skin was still a nice golden brown with light freckles sprinkled across her sun-kissed shoulders. He watched her brush her teeth idly, her orange colored fingernails bright on her small but capable hands. Her foot tapped absentmindedly, probably to the beat of some song she had replaying in her mind.

         Illya’s fingers trembled, wanting to reach out to her. He was tired of dancing around it.

        “I love you.”

        Gaby froze. She turned gradually, her toothbrush still in her hand. White foam littered the edges of her dazed lips and her brown eyes were wide.

        Illya’s heart stopped. He shouldn’t have said it. But he had meant it.

        He began to fidget, an excuse forming in his mind when Gaby smiled, her eyes radiant in the light. Her toothbrush forgotten in her hand, she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him down for a kiss.

        It was spearmint and convincing and everything Illya ever wanted.

        Gaby fell back onto her heels, her one hand cradling his neck. She licked away the excess toothpaste from around her lips with a grin.

       “I love you too.”

        It turned out to be a beautiful morning.

 

**Author's Note:**

> My writer's block is horrible. Of course I've still been writing but nothing is getting finished. Also i had like 3 exams in the past two weeks and it was my birthday on top of that. So I've had less time to write. And my roommate moved out randomly the night before my birthday and i'm waiting for my new mysterious roommate to move in and it stresses me out. Yeah, so the past couple of weeks have been filled with exams, dumb roommate shit, birthday partying, and long days on 3 hours of sleep. Only good thing that happened: my best friend pre-ordered the fancy blu-ray set for Man from Uncle. I CAN'T WAIT FOR NOVEMBER


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